Desde la perspectiva de un pastor y predicador veterano, el doctor Leslie Parrott describe la funcion del ujier y proporciona principios practicos sobre como puede desempenar su funcion importante con gracia y eficiencia. No solo aplica principios biblicos, sino que se apoya completamente en las Escrituras en el desarrollo de las diversas cualidades y responsabilidades del ujier."

"Transformative Pastoral Leadership in the Black Church" offers practical wisdom from comparative analysis of the experiences of a male pastor and a female pastor in the Christian Methodist Episcopal Church. Church leaders must be transformed themselves as they are transforming their churches to serve their communities. From his research of the perspectives of laity, clergy, and scholars of the black church, Jeffery L. Tribble offers hopeful stories and helpful strategies for those who believe that the black church must continue its historic mission of being an instrument of survival, elevation, and liberation for its people. "Transformative Pastoral Leadership in the Black Church" is an important contribution to studies of black religion, womanist thought, and social justice.

This 2005 book proposes a model for understanding religious debates in the Churches of England and Scotland between 1603 and 1625. Setting aside 'narrow' analyses of conflict over predestination, its theme is ecclesiology - the nature of the Church, its rites and governance, and its relationship to the early Stuart political world. Drawing on a substantial number of polemical works, from sermons to books of several hundred pages, it argues that rival interpretations of scripture, pagan, and civil history and the sources central to the Christian historical tradition lay at the heart of disputes between proponents of contrasting ecclesiological visions. Some saw the Church as a blend of spiritual and political elements - a state Church - while others insisted that the life of the spirit should be free from civil authority.

The opening of the archive of the former Congregation of the Holy Office in Rome (the office of the 'Inquisition') yielded an extraordinary wealth of documentation, altering dramatically many long-standing views on the repressive activity of the Roman Church during the counter-Reformation. Drawing extensively upon this archival source, this 2001 book highlights the wide gap between the Church's aim to exert control over all knowledge and actual implementation. The plurality of the central offices, their contradictory decisions, and the inadequacy of the peripheral offices combined to hamper truly effective censorship. But despite this failure in developing a unified expurgatory policy, such prohibition as there was had a disastrous effect upon Italian culture, and for centuries Italians - jurists, scientists, Jews and common readers, as well as scholars - were deprived of their most cherished books.

This collection of essays was presented to Barrie Dobson in celebration of his 70th birthday. It will be welcomed by all scholars of pre-modern religion and society. Spanning the artificial divide between medieval and early modern, the contributors - all acknowledged experts in their field - pursue the ways in which men and women tried to put their ideals into practice, sometimes alone, but more commonly in the shared environment of cloister, college or city. The range of topics is testimony to the breadth of Barrie Dobson's own interests, but even more striking are the continuities and shared assumptions across time, and between the dissident and the impeccably orthodox. Taking the reader from a rural anchor-hold to the London of Thomas More, and from the greenwood of Robin Hood to the central law courts, this collection builds into a richly satisfying exploration of the search for perfection in an imperfect world.

A core resource for anyone involved in spiritual mentoring, Mentoring Conversations provides a basis for spiritual conversation in a mentoring context through 30 short chapters structured around six key topic areas: Foundations; Steps to growth; Living out your faith; Going deeper; Staying strong; and Living with mystery. Each chapter begins with a Bible passage or text, followed by the author's comment on the topic, questions to use as a starting point for conversation and suggestions for further reading.

In Pope Pius XII on the Economic Order, economist Rupert J. Ederer explores the views of Eugenio Pacelli, who served as pope during the tumultuous period of 1939 to 1958. Prodigious in his output, Pius XII produced 40 encyclicals, 19 highly regarded Christmas messages, and series of addresses to groups and organizations, laying the groundwork for the economic views of his successors. According to Ederer, it "is safe to say that no Roman pontiff has addressed the problems confronting the social order as frequently and as widely outside the formal structure of encyclicals as Pius XII. This applies in a special way to his masterful and prophetic Christmas Messages." Through the study of Pius XII's encyclicals and Christmas messages, Ederer examines this important pontiff's views on economics and the social order, the world of work, agriculture and farmers, food and population, the middle class, and the world of money and finance. Students and scholars interested in the history of Pius XII's papacy will find in Ederer's analysis an insightful study of Catholic economic thought during an era when nations representing the forces of capitalism, fascism, and Communism were joined in a fierce battle for dominance.

This translation by Sarah Austin (1793 1867) of German historian Leopold von Ranke's work contributed significantly to early modern history and historiography. By some accounts 'the best living translator' of her time, Austin was a member of circles that included Jeremy Bentham and J. S. Mill. Ranke (1795 1886) worked for most of his life at the University of Berlin, writing several histories covering the fifteenth to seventeenth centuries. Austin's translation recognises Ranke's importance to Western historiography: his methodology stressed the centrality of using primary sources and of the historian's objectivity. Ranke's history engages with a much wider area than his title suggests; indeed, his subject is 'the struggle between Catholicism and Protestantism, between authority and innovation', as Austin writes. Volume 2 is almost wholly concerned with the Counter-Reformation (and coins the term), from 1563 to 1630. These volumes will be of interest to early modern historians and historiographers alike.

This translation by Sarah Austin (1793 1867) of German historian Leopold von Ranke's work contributed significantly to early modern history and historiography. By some accounts 'the best living translator' of her time, Austin was a member of social circles that included Jeremy Bentham and J. S. Mill. Ranke (1795 1886) worked for most of his life at the University of Berlin, writing several histories covering the fifteenth to seventeenth centuries. Austin's translation recognises Ranke's importance to Western historiography: his methodology stressed the centrality of using primary sources and of the historian's objectivity. Ranke's history engages with a much wider area than his title suggests; indeed, his subject is 'the struggle between Catholicism and Protestantism, between authority and innovation', as Austin writes. Volume 3 analyses the period 1590 1630 and examines later significant events and includes an expansive appendix. These volumes will be of interest to early modern historians and historiographers alike.

These original essays offer thought-provoking perspectives on the complex evolution of the papacy in the last 500 years, from the pope as an Italian Renaissance prince to the pope as a universal pastor concerned with the well-being and salvation of human beings everywhere on earth. Structured by detailed studies of some of the most significant popes in this evolution, this volume explores how papal policies and actions were received as the popes sought to respond to the political, cultural, and social circumstances of their time. Included are essays examining pontificates from that of Julius II, warrior as well as patron of the arts, to the era of the French Revolution and Napoleon, to Paul VI's pleas for peace during the Cold War, and to John Paul II's itinerant, prophetic, and hierarchical model of a pastoral papacy in the age of television and the internet.

K. H. Ting (1915-2012) was an important Christian leader and theologian in China. Indeed, since the late-1970s, he has been seen as the spokesperson for Christianity in China. Many stories surround his life, but it is sometimes unclear which ones are true, making him a mysterious figure. K. H. Ting became the principal of Jinling Theological Seminary in 1952 and remained in this position until his death, making him the longest-standing principal of any theological seminary in the world. He experienced many difficult times in his 97 years, and in any ways the history of Christianity in China is reflected through the ups and downs he experienced. In Incorruptible Love: The Story of K. H. Ting, the authors offer Christians, as well as people of other spiritual beliefs, intellectuals, and the general public, a greater understanding of K. H. Ting's life and beliefs. This biography will help people learn not only about K. H. Ting, but also about the fundamentals of Chinese Christianity. Written in a blend of creative and academic writing styles, Incorruptible Love makes the story of K. H. Ting vivid and convincing. This text can be used in courses on Christianity in China, the Chinese Church, religion in China, and modern Chinese history.

The Tudor bishops were men of power and influence within the English realm, both because they possessed spiritual authority and because they exercised lordship over great estates. This book examines their activities as temporal lords: it seeks to discover how wealthy they were and to what uses their revenues were put. Dr Heal draws upon much research undertaken by other scholars in particular dioceses and for particular prelates. The bishops possessed considerable wealth, but they had little security, for the crown effectively controlled their economic destiny, especially after the break with Rome in 1534. No study of the episcopate can therefore ignore the effects of royal policy, and this book combines an investigation into the attitudes and behaviour of the Tudor monarchs with its close examination of the fortunes of the bishops.

This work is a detailed study of the political relations between England and the papacy from 1858 to 1861, the decisive years for the unification of Italy. It demonstrates that two successive English governments, first the Tories under Derby and Malmesbury, then the Liberals under Palmerston and Russell, variously used the moral, diplomatic and naval power of Great Britain to contribute to the overthrow of the eleven-hundred-year old papal monarchy in central Italy. A study in diplomatic history, the book shows how British diplomacy concerning the Papal Question proceeds in full conjunction with many factors religious, political, economic, social, naval, intellectual, personal in contributing to the overthrow of the pope as monarch in central Italy.

Send my Roots Rain explores ways in which the life-giving water of the Spirit can soak down to the roots of a priest's life and work. Many priests know what it is to be thirsty: to be overwhelmed by the pressures inherent within their ministry and have little time for themselves or for God. Yet, each priest is also a disciple, whose spiritual, physical and emotional health matters to God, who calls each one by name. Send My Roots Rain explores attitudes, practices and ways of prayer capable of refreshing and sustaining priests and pastors amidst the challenges and stresses of their way of life. Christopher Chapman draws on more than thirty years' experience of spiritual direction, formational training and leading retreats for priests and ordinands to offer a book full of wisdom that new and experienced priests will turn to again and again.

This book is a study of the politics of episcopal elections in twelfth- and thirteenth-century Normandy and Greater Anjou. This was a crucial period in the development of canon law and Joerg Peltzer offers the first analysis to bring together legal theory and practice, local custom, and politics. He explores the development of electoral theories and examines each election in context, offering insights into the varying balance of royal, papal and regional baronial power and the various career paths leading to an episcopal see. He shows how different systems of patronage worked, to what extent they were vehicles of social mobility, and how aristocratic families were structured. By comparing electoral practices in Normandy and Greater Anjou before and after the Capetian conquest the book significantly enhances our understanding of the theory and practice of canon law, local politics in Normandy and Anjou, and the high politics at the Capetian and Angevin courts.

La Biblia esta repleta de personajes increibles, y Nehemias destaca de manera prominente entre ellos. Por que fue tan eficaz, tan influyente? La respuesta comienza con saber lo que Dios quiere de un lider. Del ejemplo de Nehemias, los lectores aprenderan 15 formas de liderar con proposito. Puesto que Dios es quien nos facilita todas las cosas, estas cualidades singulares estan al alcance de todo creyente. Los lectores experimentaran una satisfaccion real al tomar medidas para convertirse en un lider conforme al corazon de Dios.

The Bible is filled with amazing people, and Nehemiah stands out prominently among them. What made him so effective, so influential? It starts with knowing what God desires in a leader. From Nehemiah's example, readers will learn 15 ways to lead with purpose. Because it is God who enables us, these great qualities are accessible to every believer. Readers will experience real fulfillment as they take steps toward becoming God's kind of leader.

In a time when the ordination of women is an ongoing and passionate debate, the study of women's ministry in the early church is a timely and significant one. There is much evidence from documents, doctrine, and artifacts that supports the acceptance of women as presbyters and deacons in the early church. While this evidence has been published previously, it has never before appeared in one complete English-language collection.

With this book, church historians Kevin Madigan and Carolyn Osiek present fully translated literary, epigraphical, and canonical references to women in early church offices. Through these documents, Madigan and Osiek seek to understand who these women were and how they related to and were received by, the church through the sixth century. They chart women's participation in church office and their eventual exclusion from its leadership roles. The editors introduce each document with a detailed headnote that contextualizes the text and discusses specific issues of interpretation and meaning. They also provide bibliographical notes and cross-reference original texts. Madigan and Osiek assemble relevant material from both Western and Eastern Christendom.

In recent years Edward II??'s reign has attracted the attention of a number of scholars whose work has considerably modified the traditional picture. As a result, there has been a move away from the emphasis on constitutional and administrative theory and practice to a consideration of the personalities involved, notably Edward himself and the earls of Pembroke and Lancaster. Although medieval biography is difficult, such an approach has been highly successful - the actions of individuals are seen to be crucial in any analysis of events. However, since Kathleen Edwards??'s pioneer article in the mid-1940s, the Church??'s contribution has been largely neglected. In her view, after Archbishop Winchelsey??'s death the bishops cut sorry figures indeed. The time has come for a more sympathetic appraisal, in particular of the role played by Adam Orleton, promoted successively bishop of Hereford, Worcester and Winchester by a pope who paid no attention to the expostulations of the government at home.

This informative handbook offers easy-to-follow guidance on all aspects of the work of the PCC, from understanding budgets and reports to what to do during a vacancy. It answers the following questions and more: * What is a PCC? * What jobs does it have to do? * Who will I meet on a PCC? * How does it fit in to the bigger picture? * How do the meetings run? * Who decides the agenda? * What does a PCC member's year look like? * What will my role be and how should I prepare? What else am I letting myself in for? * What about legal aspects: money, faculties, administration, and other technical things?

Only those who have an undeniable calling from God will be fit for the challenges and strains of the ministry life. But how do you test a calling and how do you proceed if you are certain its legitimacy? From the theology of being called, to selecting a seminary, to beginning life as a pastor, Michael Milton looks to the Word of God for answers and guidance, as well as drawing on his own experience as a Presbyterian minister.

There was a time where Christian ministry offered the opportunity to spend your life in the study of God's word, in reading and reflection, in prayer and sermon preparation, and in the quiet and faithful pastoral care of a community. The world has changed, and with it most of the expectations that govern church appointments. These days there are very few jobs in full time ministry which do not require a heroic combination of stamina, multi-tasking and change management. This book gives practical advice on how to nurture faith and a sense of calling amid the hectic life that is ministry today. Drawing on his experience of developing and leading training programmes in this area, Ian Cowley assesses the stresses and pressures of the job and shows how to grow into being a 'contemplative minister', prioritising a relationship of deepening love with God. He also offers guidance on leading others into that same relationship, without your own spiritual life running dry.

Tony Horsfall and Debbie Hawker encourage us to develop our resilience and to prepare ourselves for the challenges that life throws at us in an increasingly difficult world. Through biblical wisdom and psychological insight, they show us how to understand ourselves better, appreciate our areas of strength and strengthen our areas of weakness. Read this book if you want a faith that persists to the finishing line.